Page 16 of A Love So Hard

That was weird. Double-D left them there and came over to the car, getting inside, before turning to look at me. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, just some woman running her mouth. Merc said she was just jealous.”

“He also said you didn’t believe whatever she told you.”

He started the car again and began backing it out of the lot a ways so he could turn us around. I explained to him what both Holly and myself had said. Double-D burst out laughing when I got to the part about her not being able to handle their loads.

“Oh shit, I know she never would have bothered you if I was there, but I wish I had been there to hear that. I’m sure Merc loved that.”

I shrugged. “He seemed to. He sent her away and was nice to me.”

“You let me know right away if anyone is never not nice to you, Lucy.”

“Yeah, okay,” I told him though I didn’t think I’d be dropping all my problems at his doorstep any time soon. “So where are we going?”

“I had dinner and a movie planned, but after seeing you in that dress I kind of want to take you dancing too. I guess it’s up to you and what you’re feeling.”

I laughed. “I think I’m still just a bit too young for any place we could go dancing around here,” I admitted.

He laughed it off. “Trust me, babe, no one is carding you in that get up. You’ll be in the door without having to flash much more than a smile.”

“Whatever you say, Double-D, you’re the expert,” I teased.

He cringed a little. “I hate for you to call me that, especially since you know why they started doing it.”

I just smiled at him. “What would you like me to call you then?” It was actually the first time I’d thought about the fact that I was on a date with a man whose name I didn’t actually know. He glanced over at me and it was obvious something was going on in his head that I wish I could be privy too, but I didn’t think I’d get to.

“Never told you my name?”

The question was just as quick as him turning to watch the road again. “I, um, heard the women at the club call you Charles that one time, but other than that, no. You’ve never told me your name.”

He made a humming noise in the back of his throat and continued driving for another mile or so before he pulled into a restaurant. Once he parked he turned to me and took my hands in his. “I’m an ass,” he said without any hesitation. “I didn’t even think. I was 19 when we met and apparently an idiot. My name is Charles Jason Brothers. You know why the guys call me Double-D, because I already told you that story. I just can’t believe you’re the only one outside of the club who knows how I got my road name, but you didn’t know my actual name.”

He seemed so sincerely sorry that it had taken him this long to properly introduce himself. It warmed me a little to see that side of him. “You didn’t answer my question though.”

“What question was that?”

“If you don’t want me calling you Double-D what would you like me to call you? Charles? Chuck?” He was already shaking his head when I asked the questions which caused me to chuckle. “Don’t like your first name?”

“It was my grandfather’s name and he was mean as a snake. Never did like it. My friends used to call me CJ.”

“Hmm,” I thought about the fact that I’d heard those club women call him Charles and suddenly it didn’t make sense.

“What?”

“It’s just that when I heard your name before it was the two club girls that I know you went to high school with at some point. They called you Charles.”

“Yeah, because they were never my friends,” he stated in a matter of fact manner that brokered no argument.

“CJ,” I tested out in not much more than a whisper.

“Yeah, see, that sounds perfect coming from those sweet lips of yours.” He let go of my hands and then turned to get out of the car. Before I could process everything he was opening my door and holding out a hand to assist me in getting out of his car without flashing anyone who happened to be close by. I took the offered hand, and inwardly glowed at his show of gentlemanly manners. It was just so out of character for what I expected from a biker. He must have seen something in the way I expressed those feelings, because he started laughing.

“Honey, I might be a biker, but I still have manners. This is the south, after all.”

“Whatever,” I managed to huff out with a roll of my eyes. “Can we go eat now? I’m starved.”

His brows furrowed in question. “I thought you were the one complaining this morning that four in the afternoon was early?”

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